1. A new model of short duration for inducing hepatotoxicity in rats has been developed by administering Tohfa' a country made liquor (28.5% of Ethanol) to partially hepatectomized (65-70%) rats orally, daily for ten days.
2. Fatty changes were taken as an index of hepatotoxicity because other changes namely fibrosis and cirrhosis cannot be produced in rats.
3. Biochemical and histopathological studies revealed that 50% alcoholic extract of roots and leaves of Phyllanthus niruri Linn. (PN), commonly known as Jaramala in Hindi, has got hepatoprotective effect on alcohol induced liver cell damage in non-hepatectomized and partially hepatectomized rats .
4. The root extract of PN was found to be more effective hepatoprotective agent than the leaves extract.
5. 50% alcoholic extract of leaves of Ricinus communis Linn. (RC), commonly known as Arand in Hindi, did not show any significant hepatoprotective activity.

1. The anti-allergic properties of an aqueous extract of the stem of Tinospora Cordifolia was evaluated on histamine induced bronchospasm in guineapigs, capillary permeability in mice and mast cell disruption in rats.
2. The extract significantly decreased the bronchospasm induced by 5% histamine aerosol, decreased capillary permeability and reduced the number of disrupted mast cells in the above experimental animals respectively.

1. The administration of marijuana fumes to rats subjected to electrical stress brought about a diminution in the level of protein, DNA and RNA with a decrease in urea content of the brain.
2. The chronic inhalation of marijuana fumes increased the excretion of 5-HIAA and VMA in the urine of stressed rats.
3. Chromic marijuana treatment in rats undergoing shock trauma produced increased depletion of chromaffin granules and dilation of blood vessels in the adrenal medulla and also produced degenerative changes in the testes of stressed rats.

1. Fifteen different substituted hydantoin derivatives were prepared by condensation of different chloro-acetylated heterocyclic moieties with alkali metal-cyanate in presence of quaternary ammonium salt. The reaction was found to proceed best in polar solvents.
2. The compounds were screened for anticonvulsant activity. Diphenyl hydantoin sodium was used as the reference drug.
3. Three of the compounds showed significant anticonvulsant activity. Compound XII, N3-(5-(p-dimethyl-amino-phenyl)-1,3,4,-oxadiazol-2 yl) hydantoin exhibited a potent anticonvulsant activity.

1. Application of 200 (g dose of histamine to the serosal surface of stomach or intestine in urethane anaesthetized rabbits produced within l-3 sec, a significant fall in blood pressure without affecting the heart rate and respiration.
2. This effect persisted even after intravenous administration of cimetidine (2 mg/kg) ruling out the possibility of a direct action of histamine on H2 receptors of vascular smooth muscles.
3. The response was effectively blocked by pretreatment of the serosa with mepyramine, but not by cimetidine. Application of 2-methyl histamine to gut serosa produced a similar fall in blood pressure as produced by histamine, and application of 4-methyl histamine did not produce any significant change.
4. The effect of serosal application of histamine was not affected by bilateral abdominal vagotomy, but was totally abolished by splanchnicotomy.
5. These results indicate that stimulation of H1- receptors of the gut leads to a reflex fall in blood pressure mediated through the splanchnic afferents. As the response is not associated with any change in heart rate, a reduction in sympathetic efferent discharge leading to vasodilation could possibly be the cause for hypotension.

1. Oral contraceptive (OC)-antibiotic (AB) interaction wasexplored in rabbits by estimating plasma Concentration (c) of AB and oestradiol (OD) after separate and concomitant administration.
2. Ampicillin (AMP), oxytetracycline (TET) and chlroamphenicol (CPL) concentrations following single oral administration were same in control as well as in OC pretreated (30 days) rabbits.
3. c-OD in OC pretreated group (30 days) was significantly reduced when OC and AB were concurrently given for 5 days. c-OD remained significantly low in AMP treated group on continuation of OC for 5 more days.
4. Reduction in c-OD by AB may account for contraceptive failure.

1. Single dose concentration time profile was determined by EMIT in six healthy volunteers following administration of 0.5 mg digoxin in tablet form from three different manufacturers.
2. Bioavailability as measured by area under serum digoxin concentration time curves appeared to be higher with British Pharmaceutical Laboratories (BPL) than the other two products; Burroughs Wellcome (BW) and Tablets India Ltd. (TI).

1. The penetration of gentamicin in aqueous humor after different routes was investigated in 60 patients of uncomplicated senile cataract.
2. Systemic and topical administration of aminoglycoside did not produce detectable levels of the drug in aqueous humor.
3. The antibiotic appeared in aqueous humor after 15 minutes of administration by subconjunctival route and maximum concentration (Cmax) was attained at 1 hour. The effective concentration of the drug was detected for as long as 18 hours after subconjunctival injection. .

1. The effect of clonidine (10 (g/Kg iv) on blood flow and vascular resistance in various organs and tissues of anesthetised cats was studied using the radioactive microsphere technique.
2. Clonidine produced hypotension, bradycardia, increased cardiac output and stroke volume, decreased left ventricular work and total peripheral resistance. The peak effect came after 30 min when significant changes were also noted in brain and myocardial blood supply.
3. In the brain, increased blood flow and decreased vascular resistance was obtained in medulla and thalamus and reverse changes occured in the caudate nucleus and the pons. In cerebellum only blood flow decreased while in cerebral cortex vascular resistance decreased without change in the blood flow.
4. The blood flow to all regions of the heart decreased particularly in subendocardial tissue but vascular resistance was unaffected.

Effect of a few beta-blockers on the arrhythmogenic action of ouabain in guinea pigsRM Tripathi, GP ThomasOctober-December 1986, 18(4):230-234

1. Cardiac arrhythmias were produced by slow intravenous infusion of ouabain in guinea pigs and doses of ouabain required for the production of early arrhythmia, ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest were calculated.
2. A comparison was made between control group and the animals treated with the beta-blockers having diverse pharmacological profiles, at different dose levels.
3. The results indicate that all the beta adrenergic blockers used i.e. propranolol, labetalol, practolol and sotalol are effective against ouabain induced cardiac arrhythmias. Propranolol with membrane stabilizing activity and labetalol with alpha, blockingactivityare superior to practolol and sotalol in this model of arrhythmia.

1. Various prognostic indicators viz. plasma fibrinogen (PF), CK, ASAT, coronary prognostic indices (CPIs) along with plasma fibrinolytic activity (PFA) were ascertained in patients with acute MI.
2. All the parameters exhibited a rise to different levels signifying variable severity of infarction while PFA diminished to variable degree.
3. PFA and PF were found to be better prognostic indicators than CPls and comparable to CK and ASAT.

1. Various prognostic indicators viz. plasma fibrinogen (PF), CK, ASAT, coronary prognostic indices (CPIs) along with plasma fibrinolytic activity (PFA) were ascertained in patients with acute MI.
2. All the parameters exhibited a rise to different levels signifying variable severity of infarction while PFA diminished to variable degree.
3. PFA and PF were found to be better prognostic indicators than CPls and comparable to CK and ASAT.